Autoblog

Click for dogtacular hi-res photo gallery

Honda has come up with a special edition vehicle that combines my fascination with all things kei with my love for our canine friends. It's all uniquely Japanese of course, which makes it even better. Seriously, stuff like this is the reason I keep an eye on JDM happenings. Getting to the point, I'm referring to the newly released Honda Vamos Travel Dog edition.

The Vamos, for those of you unfamiliar with Honda's home-market offerings, is a kei-class minivan (that incidentally can be made to look unbelievably cool with aftermarket help). The Travel Dog edition equips it with several features that make it easier to accommodate your furry best friends when they're along for the ride.

What's it consist of? Follow the jump for more.

[Source: Honda Japan]

The big deal in Japan the last several days has been the 2006 Tokyo Auto Gallery. The tuner and custom car show was the venue for the debut of the Toyota Harrier Zagato and is also where the Pagani Zonda Rabbit is on display.

The stream of interesting cars doesn't end there, either, as we've come across a Honda Vamos kei-class van that 's designed to hurtle you back to the 70s. Finished in sky blue and sporting a retro fascia that looks really cool, the tiny econobox instantly looks like it would be right at home on the streets of yesteryear. The cream-colored steel wheels are simply the icing on the cake. The inside gets a two-tone look that's more modern hot rod than 70s retro, but we'll let that slide.

According to Response.jp, the conversion kit can be had for ¥312,900 (around $2,700 USD). We wish we could tell you who manufactures it (if it's Honda, it isn't on the accessories page for the Vamos yet), but it's not clear from the translated Response article. No matter. Not knowing the answers doesn't diminish the grooviness of this uniquely Japanese custom. If only it had an 8-Track player...

(Additional photos --including a shot of a stock Vamos for comparison -- after the jump)

[Source: Response.jp (Translated)]